LG officially launched today its new “mid-tier” variant of the G3, the G3 Beat. The 5-inch phone will be marketed as the LG G3 s in Europe.

As rumors and a soft launch in China suggested, the G3 Beat is a watered down version of the top of the range G3, that retains, however, the features that set LG’s flagship apart from the competition, such as the brushed metallic texture, the laser-assisted fast autofocus, and the G3’s software features.

Looking at the phone’s 5-inch 1280 x 720 screen, we understand why LG hesitated to call this device “G3 mini”. While the thin margins offer a screen to body ratio of 74.1 percent, the highest in the mid-range class according to LG, this is still a fairly large device at 137.7 by 69.6 by 10.3mm. For comparison, the 5.5-inch G3 measures 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9 mm and weighs 10 grams more than the G3 Beat.

Underneath the 294 ppi panel sits a Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.2GHz, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of expandable storage. The battery size is good, at 2,540 mAh, while the camera resolution has been toned down to 8MB. Like its larger sibling, the G3 Beat features a laser-assisted focusing system for faster picture taking, visible on the back of the phone near the distinctive volume and power buttons.

Overall, the G3 Beat’s design is almost identical to the G3’s, and, with similar dimensions, lots of users will have trouble telling these two devices apart. LG is clearly taking advantage of its flagship’s star power, and there’s nothing wrong with that, though we wished the Beat had a stronger processing package.

In the software department, you’ll discover many of the features that LG launched with the G3, like the Touch & Shoot camera mode, Smart Keyboard, and of course, Knock Code and Knock On.

The LG G3 Beat will debut tomorrow, July 18, in South Korea, in Metallic Black, Silk White, and Shine Gold options. The device will enjoy a global rollout, with Europe and CSI countries to follow in the next weeks – in these regions, the G3 Beat will be known as the LG G3 s.

LG has not revealed pricing details for the G3 Beat for now, but we expect to see it in the upper mid-range. The device is priced at the equivalent of $400 in China.

SEOUL, July 17, 2014 — LG Electronics (LG) today announced the official launch of LG G3 Beat, a mid-tier variant of LG’s highly acclaimed LG G3 smartphone. The LG G3 Beat delivers a similar premium user experience, sophisticated Floating Arc metallic design and fast Laser Auto Focus technology featured in the G3 but in a more compact package dominated by a 5.0-inch thin-bezel display, setting it a class above other similarly priced mid-tier devices.

The LG G3 Beat was developed to address the growing low- to mid-tier segment of smartphone customers who want a great device that’s more compact but still powerful enough to run the most popular apps. With the fast pace of technology in the wireless industry, it’s now more possible than ever to offer a smartphone that does all this but at a lower price point than was previously possible. LG G3 Beat retains the best features and functions of the G3, delivering its values without compromising usability.

Proving that less can be more, the LG G3 Beat comes with a largest-in-class 5.0-inch HD IPS display with a screen-to-body ratio of 74.1 percent, the highest in the mid-tier smartphone segment. The LG G3 Beat offers impressively thin bezels and a robust 2,540mAh battery. The LG G3 Beat features the Floating Arc Design first unveiled on the LG G3, boasting smooth curved sides and gradually tapered edges for the ultimate comfort in grip and feel.

“Smartphone manufacturers cannot ignore this growing segment of consumers who want the best balance of looks, features, performance and, of course, price,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG G3 Beat represents our commitment to the mid-tier smartphone market that demands mature technology, proven branding, great innovation and attractive price, all in a single device.”

Highlights of the LG G3 Beat include:

￭ Laser Auto Focus enables the G3 Beat to focus precious moments faster than ever before by measuring the distance between the subject and the camera using a laser beam.

￭ Touch & Shoot lets users simply touch anywhere on the display to focus and shoot, reducing a two-step process to just one.

￭ Gesture Shot allows you to simply clench your hand in front of the screen to automatically begin a three-second countdown before the picture is snapped.

￭ Smart Keyboard learns how you type for faster input with fewer mistakes, reducing errors by up to 75 percent.

￭ QuickMemo+ lets you jot, sketch, take notes and be as creative and inspired as you want to be.

The LG G3 Beat will make its debut on July 18 in South Korea and begin its global rollout from Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries in the weeks that follow. The LG G3 Beat will be available as the LG G3 s in Europe and the CIS. Prices and details of availability will be announced locally at the time of launch.